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The Golden Ripple 



The Leaflets of Life 




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WIDE IS THE STREAM, BRIGHT IS ITS GLEAM." 



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The Leaflets of Life. 



An Allegorical Pokja 



ROBERT ST. JOHN CORBET, 



Hon&on: 

ALFRED W. BENNETT, 
5, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, E.C. 

T867. 



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UNWIN BROTHERS, 

GRESHAM STEAM PRESS, BUCKLERSBURY, 

LONDON. 






INSCRIBED TO 



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WITH FEELINGS OF SINCERE REGARD. 



yisi 0! IfSnslra&ms*. 



Wide is the stream, bright is its gleam ... Frontispiece 
The banks of the stream ... ... ... p. 1 8 '"' 

Rocklet-cleft and tiny caves ... ... ... 22* 

A peaceful spot ... ... ... ... ... 28 

The Ocean Home ... ... ... ... 34 



THE GOLDEN RIPPLE 



The Leaflets of ]L/Ife. 



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Clje Streamlet. 




IDE is the stream, bright is its gleam, 
Bright is its silvery flash ; 
Floret and weed, caught in its speed, 
Struck with its watery lash ! 



12 



THE STREAMLET. 



Rippling along, singing its song. 

Owning no arbiters sv 
Gathering grace, as in its race. 

Ripple on ripple makes way. 

Onward it flows past the hedge-rows. 

Gem of each varying scene : 
Ever intent, ever unspent. 

Weary nor morning nor ev'n. 

Down in the dale, wreathing the vale. 

Circling the base of the hill. 
Narrowing, then widening again, 

Joined by the tremulous rill. 



Then in the glade fairies have made. 

Fann'd by the twittering breeze : 
Guarded in sport by an escort 

Cn~ its own army of trc 



THE STREAMLET. 

Led by its song, track it along, 

See, in continuous round, 
Droplet on drop, pow'rless to stop, 

O'er a wee waterfall bound. 

Trickling, tripping, 

Dropping, dripping ; 

Inwards curling 

Outwards whirling 
Foam in tiny cup-like cells, 
Glist'ring drops of water clear, 
Trilling there and tinkling here 
With a tone like elfin bells ! 
On the wavelet floating see 
Blade of grass or leaf of tree ; 
Tendril brittle, corol light, 
Petal fine and snowy white : 
Bouquets in the ripple's breast 
Wafted on the wavelet's crest ! 
Gems that deck the streamlet's crown. 
Smoothly, gently gliding down ! 



14 



THE STREAMLET. 



Thus, from its mountainous source. 

Ripples the streamlet along, 
Singing, as 'twere, in its course, 

Sonnet and lyrical song : 
Unto the tiny cascade, 

Out of the shivering foam, 
Then amidst meadow and glade 

Cheerily seeking its home ! 



Flakes of its luminous spray 

Hither and thither it flings. 
Rolling its waters away, 

Flying as tho' upon wings : 
Ceaselessly trilling along, 

Traversing valleys and dells, 
Singing its tremulous song. 

Ringing its echoing bells. 

Nature its melody loves, 
Smiles as its harmonies rise, 

Soft as a chorus of doves, 

Sweet as a hymn from the skies 



THE STREAMLET. I 5 



Well may the streamlet rejoice, 
Aye, and the tiniest rills, 

Proud to be adding a voice 
Unto the choir in the hills ! 





oft is the ev'ning light, welcome the shower 
Sweetly refreshing to shrublet and flower, 
Fragrant the air. 
Hush'd are the winds abroad, silent the breeze, 
Noiseless the motion of leaf on the trees, 
Peace ev'rywhere ! 

Stillness ethereal here and around 
Breaks into life with the rivulet's sound, 

Ripple on rill. 
Silent in thoughtfulness onward I stray, 

By the bright water-vein choosing my way, 
Listening still. 



3 MIDNIGHT REPOSE. 

Oft, as enraptured I gaze at the skies, 
Folding my mind, as it were, in mine eyes, 

Thinking by sight ; 
Then can my soul in its wakefulness hear 
Music in stillness, a melody clear 

Sung but at night ! 

Nature, methinks, in her midnight repose 
Grandeur in peaceful solemnity shows, 

Teaching in sleep. 
Oh ! what a banquet of thought for the mind 
Spreads she, by moonlight, for each one inclined 
Vigil to keep ! 

Let me lie down on the banks of the stream, 
Closing mine eyes to its luminous gleam, 

Lull'd by its sound. 
Lonely I feel not, nor lonely can be 
Whilst there is Nature to slumber with me, 

Angels around ! 



Cjj* Sfreaftets 0it % Ripples. 




wake my mind, though closed mine eyes, 
Unthought-of cares leave fancy free, 
I'll sing beneath these silv'ry skies 
What dreams may bid me hear and see. 
The streamlet still is flowing on, 

Its gentle voice, though faint, is clear. 
The stars upon its crest have shone, 
And there as fairy lights appear ; 
Whilst as it flows in thoughtless pride, 
Along its banks I seem to glide. 



24 THE LEAFLETS ON THE RIPPLES. 

I see, as flows the streamlet down, 

'Midst rocklet-cleft and tiny caves, 
A thousand ripples on its crown, 

A thousand little curling waves ; 
And whilst I watch the fairy flood, 

On sudden, I but two behold — 
Two ripples — one as 't were of blood, 

And one as bright as richest gold ! 
Intent I'll keep mine eyes on each, 
To learn the lesson it may teach. 

Soon softly sprung a gentle breeze, 

Increasing till the little dell 
Its echoes heard, and from the trees 

Some leaflets on the water fell. 
With vivid freshness each one shone, 

Clear, bright, and green, unstain'd, untorn, 
And, wafted noiselessly, upon 

The (Holktt mppk each was borne. 
With pace uneven by its side 
The darksome ripple seemed to glide. 



THE LEAFLETS ON THE RIPPLES. 



2 5 



(How short, methought, the time ere man, 
The first one, turn'd, through fell device, 

From off the golden stream that ran 
Through Eden's blissful Paradise ! 

How few the years, methought again, 
Ere now we note our first offence, 

Ere we the pure white garments stain 
Of spotless infant innocence ! — ) 
As yet I see the leaflets rest 
Upon the golden ripple's crest. 



Oh ! that I might no change behold, 

That those fair leaflets would not stray 
That none from off the line of gold 

Would wander to the darksome way ! 
Too late ! for, as mine eyes I cast 

To where the golden ripple shone, 
Some leaflets to the dark one pass'd, 

Their freshness at the instant gone ; 
And each became, the farther borne, 
The more discolour'd, bruised, and torn. 

D 



26 



THE LEAFLETS ON THE RIPPLES. 



Whither are these ripples tending 1 
Will their course be never ending ? 
Will they never be at rest 
In the south or radiant west 1 
Will the leaflets travel forth 
To the icy, cheerless north ? 

Is the ripple, golden bright, 

Running to a sea of light 1 

When the dark one's course is done, 

Will it also thither run % 

A little longer I must wait 

Ere I can learn the leaflets' fate. 




IV. 



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N, on they roll, no niggard gleam 
Shot from the waving golden seam, 
The track of light. 
Alas ! more leaflets I behold, 
Wanderers from the line of gold, 

Dull, black as night. 
And many bright ones there are too 
Which hover, midway, just in view 

Of either track. 
And some, again, too widely stray, 
Some touch and join the darksome way, 
And some glide back. 



30 AWAITING THE END. 

The latter's spots the ripple's flow 
Will wash away, and faint will grow 

Each recent stain. 
— So Christians know one heavenly smile 
E'er welcomes those who, lost awhile, 

Return again ! 

The golden ripple, crystal-crown' d, 
Runs still, with soft harmonious sound, 

Its gentle race. 
The darksome ripple, rapid, strong, 
By force uneven borne along, 

Curls on apace. 

The stainless leaflets, bright e'ermore, 
Are wafted to a golden shore, 

A peaceful spot. 
The rest on tempest-wings appear 
Whirl'd oft to realms of darkness drear, 

Where peace is not 1 



AWAITING THE END. 3 1 

So, spirits pure of Christians blest 
In Paradise with hope will rest, 

Their end to wait ; 
But spirits dark in Prison fast, 
Will wait, with dread, the trumpet-blast, 

Their call to fate ! 

Death is no goal : 't is but the key 
To life and immortality, 

To none denied. 
For — happy thought ! — the Christian knows 
That none so truly live as those 

Who once have died I 






THE OCEAN HOME 



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H ! 't is a wondrous sight which next 
I see but scarce can tell : 
Mine eyes are dazed, my mind perplex'd, 
Confused each sense as well. 
A moment darkness veils the sky 

In blackest clouds of night, 
Then stars and constellations high 
Shoot fiery gleams of light. 



Th' awakening thunder now I hear, 
It's mighty, rolling boom ; 

The lightning, flashing brightly clear, 
Proclaims a coming doom. 



36 THE OCEAN HOME. 

The tow'ring rocks and mountains shake, 

And with the ocean's roar, 
The torrent-storms such tempests make 

As eye ne'er saw before ! 



Now follows peaceful, welcome calm, 

The air, pure, fresh, and fine, 
Wafts sounds of holy chant and psalm 

Of harmony divine. 
Ten thousand lights which shine above, 

With glorious brilliance show 
The ocean of eternal love, — 

The lake of fire below ! 



Where is the golden ripple, where I 
Where is the darksome track 1 

The leaflets too, those fresh and fair, 
And those deep-stain'd and black I 



THE OCEAN HOME. 



57 



The latter first I see, alas ! 

Untold their fearful plight, 
Through burning clouds of fire they pass 

And then — are lost to sight ! 

I see the Golden Ripple flow 

Effulgent, far and wide, 
The leaflets, cleansed and white as snow, 

Still on its bosom glide. 
It rolls beneath an arch of rays, 

The sky's palatial dome, 
Through volumes of adoring praise 

Unto its Qtzm ^om !" 




